FIVE FEATURES, FIVE DIFFERENT WINNERS ON FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT

August 24, 2013

By Tom Cummings

(Tioga Center, NY) Racing resumed where it left off the previous week at the ASA Member Track, Shangri-La II Motorspeedway on Saturday night. The starter in the main track generator failed, forcing the postponement of the Sportsman and Pudgies Pizza Street Stock features to this past Saturday. Matt Kurzejewski claimed his first win of the season in the held over Sportsman feature. Defending street stock champion, Jeff Goodwin was dialed in and dominated the held over Pudgies Pizza Street Stock event. Gene Purvis wrestled the lead away from Jeremiah Clonch in the closing laps to take the win in the Four Cylinder Stocks. Tyler Rypkema went to victory lane for the fourth time this season in the Sportsman division, and Chris Zacharias led flag to flag in the Pudgies Pizza Street Stocks for his fourth win of the season.

The evening started with the Sportsman featuring resuming racing on lap ten. The race had been red flagged for a crash involving T.J. Zacharias and Tyler Rypkema on the front stretch. Rypkema was treated at a local hospital for a fractured wrist. At the green flag, Matt Kurzejewski and Paul Johnson challenged for the lead in turn one with Kurzejewski claiming the top spot entering turn three. Johnson would keep Kurzejewski within two car lengths until caution flew on lap fifteen when Tommy Rought spun in turn two. Kurzejewski reclaimed the lead on the restart and held off Johnson for his first win of the season, and fourth overall at the track. Johnson was second. Tom Shiner and Mikayla Rypkema races hard and finished third and fourth respectively, Tommy Rought finished fifth.

Jeff Goodwin grabbed the lead exiting turn two on the opening lap in the held over Pudgies Pizza Street Stock feature from pole sitter, Charlie Sharpsteen. Two laps later, points leader, Chris Zacharias was knocking at the door. Sharpsteen, Jason Duke, Sr. and Billy Coyle were locked in a tight battle for third. The race went green flag for all twenty five laps with Zacharias trying every move he could to get around Goodwin. At the checkers, Goodwin went to victory lane for the third time in 2013. Zacharias finished second; Duke was third with Coyle and Sharpsteen completing the top five.

Devon Bailey and Jeremiah Clonch led the Four Cylinder Stocks to the green flag in their ten lap feature. Clonch would lead lap one and fend off challenges from Bailey. Nick Morich got by Bailey for the second spot on lap four and would challenge for the lead. Gene Purvis would move from sixth to second on a daring three wide outside pass in turn three. Purvis would use another outside pass to take the top spot from Clonch in turn one and lead the final three laps for his seventh win of the year. Clonch held off Morich for second, Morich finished third followed by Bailey and Alan Blackwell. Josh Hall and Adam DelGrosso finished sixth and seventh in their first ever trips around the concrete high banks.

Paul Johnson and Tom Shiner led the field to the green flag in the Sportsman feature. Tyler Rypkema started third, and bypassed Shiner for second following the completion of lap one. Johnson and T.Rypkema broke away from the pack as they battled for the lead. The battle for third was tight as Matt Kurzekewski, Tony Hanbury and Tom Shiner all ran nose to tail. T.Rypkema took the lead from Johnson at halfway exiting the fourth turn. Kurzejewski move past Johnson on lap sixteen for second, and set his sights on T.Rypkema. Johnson, in third was battling with Hanbury. The lone caution of the feature came on lap twenty three. Hanbury got into the rear bumper of Johnson, sending Johnson into a spin in turn two. Hanbury was sent to the rear on the restart for the contact with Johnson. T.Rypkema and Kurzejewski ran wheel to wheel until T.Rypkema edged ahead exiting turn two. T.Rypkema would cross the finish line first for the fourth time this season. Kurzejewski finished second, Shiner crossed the line third with Johnson and Hanbury completing the top five.

Chris Zacharias started outside of Charlie Sharpsteen on the front row in the Pudgies Pizza Street Stock feature and grabbed the early race lead. Sharpsteen fell to fifth place by lap six. Jeff Goodwin started eighth and made his way into the top five by lap seven. Billy Coyle, Jason Duke, Sr. and Brad Knapp would join Sharpsteen in two and three way battles for position. The lone caution of the event came out on lap fifteen when Knapp slowed coming off turn two, stopping on the inside of the track. Zacharias chose the inside line for the restart with Goodwin to his outside. Zacharias took the lead in turn one and never looked back as he collected his fourth win of the season. Goodwin finished second, and kept the points battle really tight. Sharpsteen finished third, Randy Brokaw was fourth and Jason Duke, Sr. finished fifth. It looked like Duke was going to finish third as he and Coyle battled in turn four. Exiting the turn, Coyle got into the back of Duke sending him around. Coyle was penalized for the contact by finishing one spot behind Duke. Bobby Hall, Jr. made his first appearance at Shangri-La II finishing seventh in a Dirt Street Stock.

Concrete Nuggets: Shangri-La II management announced grandstand admission price for the August 31, September 7 and 14 race dates will be $5.00 for ages 12 and above. Under 12, admission will be free. The drivers brought their cars to the homestretch after the make-up features were complete where they greeted the fans. A penny Drop was held with the kids redeeming their pennies they collected for penny candy. Four Bicycles were given away to the kids. A big thank you to Struble and Son Construction in Endicott, NY, Cole Auction in Tioga Center, NY, Bostwick Auction in Candor, NY, Skyview Drags and Shangri-La II Motorspeedway for sponsoring the bicycles.

Racing continues at Shangri-La II Motorspeedway on Saturday August 31th for Labor Day On Fire Night. The race teams will be competing for Double Points. There will be a Party In The Pits with a Bonfire following the races, and it is open to racers, fans and officials. Pit Gates open at 4:30 pm, Grandstand Gate opens and Practice begins at 5:30 pm with racing beginning at 7:00 pm. Grandstand Admission is just $5.00 for ages 12 and above. Admission is free for ages under 12. Pit admission is $ 30.00 with a Shangri-La II license or $35.00 without a Shangri-La II license. The Wristband Discount is not available for this event. Show your wristbands at Pudgie’s Pizza in Binghamton or Waverly and receive a discount on your food purchase. There is always plenty of free camping at Shangri-La II Motorspeedway.